Solid Ink Stick Configuration

ABSTRACT

A solid ink stick configuration efficiently provides functional features for use of the ink stick in a phase change ink printer without adversely impacting the volumetric content of the ink stick and its appearance.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application is a continuation application claiming priority fromco-pending U.S. patent application ser. No. 13/334,569, which was filedon Dec. 22, 2011, and was entitled “Solid Ink Stick Configuration.” Thisapplication issued as U.S. Pat. No. x,xxx,xxx on date.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The solid ink stick delivery system disclosed below are used in phasechange ink printers, and, more particularly, in phase change inkprinters that have delivery systems configured for solid ink that islarger than pellets or pastilles.

BACKGROUND

Solid ink or phase change ink printers conventionally receive ink invarious solid forms, such as pellets or ink sticks. The solid inkpellets or ink sticks are typically inserted through an insertionopening of an ink loader for the printer, and the ink sticks are movedalong a feed channel by a feed mechanism and/or gravity toward a meltingdevice. The melting device heats the solid ink impinging on the deviceuntil it melts. The liquid ink is collected and delivered to a printheadfor jetting onto a recording medium.

Known ink sticks are variously configured with predeterminedprotuberances and indentations that serve a number of purposes. Somepreviously known solid ink stick configurations included protuberancesand indentations that restrict the insertion of solid ink sticks intoparticular feed channel openings. In other configurations, some of theprotuberances and indentations are used to guide the ink stick through afeed channel, to limit the interaction of the ink stick with feedchannel structures, to interact with identification sensors within theink loading device, or to activate sensors positioned along the feedchannel to provide information regarding the position of the ink stickin a feed channel. Other protuberances and indentations provide humanlyperceptible indicia that help a user identify an ink stick color or helpa user correlate an ink stick with a particular printer or feed channelin a printer. In each ink stick configuration, a balance is requiredbetween ink stick esthetics, unique identification and intended usagepurposes for different printer configurations and ink formulations, andthe need to provide a customer with a reasonable volume of ink that willwithstand manual handling and maneuvering along a feed channel to amelting device. Each configuration requires thorough and carefulengineering.

SUMMARY

A solid ink stick configuration efficiently provides functional featuresfor use of the ink stick in a phase change ink printer without adverselyimpacting the volumetric content of the ink stick and its appearance,which conveys a sense of purposeful function contributing to perceivedvalue, makes handling and loading of the ink stick intuitive, andimparts visually recognizable differences among a multitude of shapes,which are simultaneously existent in the market. The solid ink stickincludes a solid ink body having a center, a first end surface, a secondend surface, the first end surface and the second end surface beingconfigured on the solid ink body to enable an axis to extend from thefirst end surface to the second end surface and pass through the centerof the solid ink body without passing through any other surface of thesolid ink body, a third surface that extends from an edge of the firstend surface to an edge of the second end surface, a first pair ofprotuberances extending from the third surface at a first height, afirst protuberance in the first pair of protuberances being positionedat a distance from the second end surface that is different than adistance from the second end surface at which the other protuberance inthe first pair of protuberances is positioned, a second pair ofprotuberances extending from the third surface at the first height, afirst protuberance in the second pair of protuberances being positionedat a distance from the second end surface that is different than adistance from the second end surface at which the other protuberance inthe second pair of protuberances is positioned and each of theprotuberances in the second pair of protuberances being positioned at adistance from the second end surface that is greater than eitherdistance from the second end surface at which the protuberances of thefirst pair of protuberances are positioned, and a fifth protuberanceextending from the third surface, the fifth protuberance beingpositioned at a distance from the second end surface that is differentthan each distance at which each protuberance in at least the first pairof protuberances is positioned from the second end surface and a volumeof the fifth protuberance is greater than any protuberance in either thefirst pair of protuberances or the second pair of protuberances.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The solid ink stick structure configured for use in a phase change inkprinter is discussed with reference to the drawings now described.

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a solid ink stick having two pairs ofprotuberances to provide a first function while a fifth protuberanceprovides a support function.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of another embodiment of the solid ink stickshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of another embodiment of the solid ink stickshown in FIG. 1 with the third surface providing the support functionthat the fifth protuberance provided in the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of another embodiment of the solid ink stickshown in FIG. 1 with the third surface providing the support functionthat the fifth protuberance provided in the embodiment of FIG. 1 andwith a different shape in the protuberances of the two pairs ofprotuberances shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The term “printer” refers, for example, to devices that produce imageson media, such as printers, facsimile machines, copiers, and relatedmulti-function products. Solid ink may be called or referred to in thisdocument as ink, ink sticks, or sticks.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a solid ink stick 10 having a configurationwith features that emphasize visual differentiation between a multitudeof earlier generation ink sticks, current printer model marketing andgeographic considerations, and that enables future ink sticks to posesimilar or equivalent interfaces and/or exclusionary features along withdifferentiating features. This configuration enables applicable usage ofthe ink stick to be determined by a user prior to insertion into the inkhandling device of an imaging product. The solid ink stick 10 has a body14 with a center 18, a first end surface 22, and a second end surface26. The center, as used in this document, refers to the center ofgravity for the body as that term is defined in physics. The first endsurface 22 and the second end surface 26 are oriented and positioned onthe solid ink body 14 to enable an axis 30 to extend from the first endsurface 22 to the second end surface 26 and pass through the center 18of the solid ink body 14 without passing through any other surface ofthe solid ink body 14. A third surface 34 extends from an edge 38 of thefirst end surface 22 to an edge 42 of the second end surface 26. A firstpair of protuberances 46 extends from the third surface 34 at a firstheight. The protuberance 50 in the first pair of protuberances 46 ispositioned at a distance D1 from the second end surface 26 that isdifferent than a distance D2 from the second end surface 26 at which theother protuberance 54 in the first pair of protuberances 46 ispositioned. A second pair of protuberances 58 extends from the thirdsurface 34 at the first height. The protuberance 62 in the second pairof protuberances is positioned at a distance D3 from the second endsurface 26 that is different than a distance D4 from the second endsurface 26 at which the other protuberance 66 in the second pair ofprotuberances 58 is positioned. Also, as shown in FIG. 1, each of theprotuberances 62, 66 in the second pair of protuberances 58 ispositioned at a distance D3, D4, respectively, from the second endsurface that is greater than either distance D1, D2 from the second endsurface at which the protuberances 50, 54 of the first pair ofprotuberances 46 are positioned. A fifth protuberance 70 extends fromthe third surface 34. The fifth protuberance 70 is positioned at adistance D5 from the second end surface 26 that is different than eachdistance D1, D2 at which each protuberance 50, 54 in at least the firstpair of protuberances 46 is positioned from the second end surface 26and a volume of the fifth protuberance 70 is greater than anyprotuberance 50, 54, 62, 66 in either the first pair of protuberances 46or the second pair of protuberances 58.

As used in this document, “a pair of protuberances” refers to a set orgroup of protuberances that have at least two protuberances, but canhave more than two protuberances provided the other structurallimitations of a pair of protuberances as defined by the claims in thisdocument are met. “Protuberances” refer to the common meaning of“thrusting out from a surrounding or adjacent surface.

In one embodiment, the protuberance 70 operates as a rest that supportsthe weight of the solid ink stick 10 on a feed channel guide feature. Inanother embodiment, the protuberance 70 operates as a rest that supportsthe weight of the solid ink stick 10 on a drive member. In both of thoseembodiments, the distances from the second end 26 of the ink stick body14 of the protuberances place the protuberances at angle with respect toone another that correspond to an angle on a lead screw that is operatedas a drive member to move the ink stick through a feed channel.

In another embodiment, each protuberance 50, 54 of the first pair ofprotuberances 46 and the second pair of protuberances 58 has a volumeapproximately equal to a volume of the other protuberances in the firstpair of protuberances and the second pair of protuberances. As shown inthe embodiment of FIG. 1, each protuberance 50, 54 of the first pair ofprotuberances 46 and the second pair of protuberances 46 has a curvedsurface, although other linear and non-linear profiles can be used.

Other embodiments of the ink stick have a fifth protuberance 70 withother characteristics. For example, in one embodiment, the volume of thefifth protuberance 70 is at least thirty percent greater than anyprotuberance in either the first pair of protuberances 46 or the secondpair of protuberances 58. In another embodiment, the fifth protuberance70 extends across a width of the third surface 34 that is orthogonal toa line extending from the first end surface 22 to the second end surface26 and also extends parallel to the axis 30 that extends from the firstend surface 22 to the second end surface 26 that passes through thecenter 18 of the solid ink body 14. In other embodiments, the fifthprotuberance does not completely cover the width of the third surface,but is truncated on one or both ends of the protuberance in thedirection that parallels the width of the third surface 34. In yetanother embodiment, the shape and/or size, including the height, of theprotuberance second pair 58 can be different than the first pair 46 orsuch differences can apply to individuals within the pair. In any ofthese embodiments, the ink stick is configured in such a manner as toaccomplish the intended rest, guidance, or feed function. These variousconfigurations enhance the range of visual differentiation betweenindividual sticks apart from the interface functions of the ink stickwith the ink handling/loading device of a printer.

In FIG. 2, another embodiment of the solid ink stick is shown with likefeatures being identified with the same reference numbers used toidentify features in the embodiment of FIG. 1. In this embodiment, thefifth protuberance is not a unitary structure, but rather divided into afifth protuberance 70 and a sixth protuberance 74. The sixthprotuberance 74 extends from the third surface 34 and a sum of thevolume of the fifth protuberance and a volume of the sixth protuberanceis greater than any protuberance 50, 54, 62, 66 in either the first pairof protuberances 46 or the second pair of protuberances 58. In thisembodiment, the fifth protuberance 70 and the sixth protuberance 74 eachhave a surface 78 that slopes relative to a plane of the third surface34 from a first height, which is not inset in the third surface, to asecond height above the third surface. In one embodiment, the secondheight is greater than the first height, while in another embodiment,the second height is equal to the first height.

In FIG. 3, another embodiment of the solid ink stick is shown with likefeatures being identified with the same reference numbers used toidentify features in the embodiment of FIG. 1. In this embodiment, thefifth protuberance has been removed and the third surface 34 providessupport for the solid ink stick. The spacing between the first pair ofprotuberances and the second pair of protuberances is greater than shownin FIG. 1. A similar embodiment not having a fifth protuberance is shownin FIG. 4. As noted above, some embodiments have protuberances havelinear shapes, as shown in FIG. 4, while other embodiments have linearshapes as shown in FIG. 3.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that numerous modifications canbe made to the specific implementations described above. For example,the size and number of rest features and the position and relativespacing of all protuberances as well as size and shape of the individualprotuberance elements can vary based on both functional and visualdifferentiation objectives. Therefore, the following claims are not tobe limited to the specific embodiments illustrated and described above.The claims, as originally presented and as they may be amended,encompass variations, alternatives, modifications, improvements,equivalents, and substantial equivalents of the embodiments andteachings disclosed herein, including those that are presentlyunforeseen or unappreciated, and that, for example, may arise fromapplicants/patentees and others.

1. A solid ink stick comprising: a solid ink body having a center; afirst end surface; a second end surface, the first end surface and thesecond end surface being configured on the solid ink body to enable anaxis to extend from the first end surface to the second end surface andpass through the center of the solid ink body without passing throughany other surface of the solid ink body; a third surface that extendsfrom an edge of the first end surface to an edge of the second endsurface, the third surface being parallel to the axis extending throughthe center of the solid ink body; a first pair of protuberancesextending outwardly from the third surface, a first protuberance in thefirst pair of protuberances being positioned at a distance from thesecond end surface that is different than a distance from the second endsurface at which the other protuberance in the first pair ofprotuberances is positioned, the first protuberance and the secondprotuberance of the first pair of protuberances being positioned ondifferent sides of the axis extending from the first end surface to thesecond end surface; a second pair of protuberances extending outwardlyfrom the third surface, a first protuberance in the second pair ofprotuberances being positioned at a distance from the second end surfacethat is different than a distance from the second end surface at whichthe other protuberance in the second pair of protuberances is positionedand each of the protuberances in the second pair of protuberances beingpositioned at a distance from the second end surface that is greaterthan either distance from the second end surface at which theprotuberances of the first pair of protuberances are positioned, thefirst protuberance and the second protuberance of the second pair ofprotuberances being positioned on different sides of the axis extendingfrom the first end surface to the second end surface; and a fifthprotuberance extending outwardly from the third surface, the fifthprotuberance being positioned at a distance from the second end surfacethat is greater than each distance at which each protuberance in atleast the first pair of protuberances is positioned from the second endsurface and a volume of the fifth protuberance is greater than anyprotuberance in either the first pair of protuberances or the secondpair of protuberances, and the first pair of protuberances, the secondpair of protuberances, and the fifth protuberance being the onlyprotuberances extending outwardly from the third surface.
 2. The solidink stick of claim 1 wherein the protuberances of the first pair ofprotuberances and the protuberances of the second pair of protuberancesare identical in size and shape.
 3. The solid ink stick of claim 1wherein each protuberance of the first pair of protuberances and thesecond pair of protuberances has a volume approximately equal to avolume of the other protuberances in the first pair of protuberances andthe second pair of protuberances.
 4. The solid ink stick of claim 1wherein each protuberance of the first pair of protuberances and thesecond pair of protuberances has a curved surface.
 5. The solid inkstick of claim 1 wherein a first protuberance of the first pair ofprotuberances and a first protuberance of the second pair ofprotuberances are separated from the other protuberances in the firstpair of protuberances and the second pair of protuberances by an equaldistance.
 6. The solid ink stick of claim 1 wherein the volume of thefifth protuberance is at least thirty percent greater than anyprotuberance in either the first pair of protuberances or the secondpair of protuberances.
 7. The solid ink stick of claim 1 wherein thefifth protuberance extends across a width of the third surface that isorthogonal to a line extending from the first end surface to the secondend surface and also extends parallel to the axis extending from thefirst end surface to the second end surface that passes through thecenter of the solid ink body.
 8. The solid ink stick of claim 1 furthercomprising: a sixth protuberance extending outwardly from the thirdsurface and a sum of the volume of the fifth protuberance and a volumeof the sixth protuberance is greater than any protuberance in either thefirst pair of protuberances or the second pair of protuberances.
 9. Thesolid ink stick of claim 8 wherein the fifth protuberance and the sixthprotuberance each have a surface that slopes relative to a plane of thethird surface from a first height not inset from the third surface to asecond height.
 10. The solid ink stick of claim 9 wherein the secondheight is greater than the first height.
 11. The solid ink stick ofclaim 9 wherein the second height is equal to the first height.
 12. Asolid ink stick comprising: a solid ink body having a center; a firstend surface; a second end surface, the first end surface and the secondend surface being configured on the solid ink body to enable an axis toextend from the first end surface to the second end surface and passthrough the center of the solid ink body without passing through anyother surface of the solid ink body; a third surface that extends froman edge of the first end surface to an edge of the second end surface,the third surface being parallel to the axis extending through thecenter of the solid ink body; a first pair of protuberances extendingoutwardly from the third surface at a first height, a first protuberancein the first pair of protuberances being positioned at a distance fromthe second end surface that is different than a distance from the secondend surface at which the other protuberance in the first pair ofprotuberances is positioned; and a second pair of protuberancesextending outwardly from the third surface at the first height, a firstprotuberance in the second pair of protuberances being positioned at adistance from the second end surface that is different than a distancefrom the second end surface at which the other protuberance in thesecond pair of protuberances is positioned and each of the protuberancesin the second pair of protuberances being positioned at a distance fromthe second end surface that is greater than either distance from thesecond end surface at which the protuberances of the first pair ofprotuberances are positioned, the first pair of protuberances and thesecond pair of protuberances being the only protuberances extending fromthe third surface of the ink stick body.
 13. A solid ink stickcomprising: a solid ink body having a center; a first end surface; asecond end surface, the first end surface and the second end surfacebeing configured on the solid ink body to enable an axis to extend fromthe first end surface to the second end surface and pass through thecenter of the solid ink body without passing through any other surfaceof the solid ink body; a third surface that extends from an edge of thefirst end surface to an edge of the second end surface, the thirdsurface being parallel to the axis passing through the center of thesolid ink body; a first pair of protuberances extending outwardly fromthe third surface, a first protuberance in the first pair ofprotuberances being positioned at a distance from the second end surfacethat is different than a distance from the second end surface at whichthe other protuberance in the first pair of protuberances is positioned;a second pair of protuberances extending from the third surface, a firstprotuberance in the second pair of protuberances being positioned at adistance from the second end surface that is different than a distancefrom the second end surface at which the other protuberance in thesecond pair of protuberances is positioned and each of the protuberancesin the second pair of protuberances being positioned at a distance fromthe second end surface that is greater than either distance from thesecond end surface at which the protuberances of the first pair ofprotuberances are positioned, the first pair of protuberances and thesecond pair of protuberances being the only protuberances extending fromthe third surface.
 14. The solid ink stick of claim 13 wherein theprotuberances of the first pair of protuberances and the protuberancesof the second pair of protuberances are identical in size and shape. 15.The solid ink stick of claim 13 wherein each protuberance of the firstpair of protuberances and the second pair of protuberances has a volumeapproximately equal to a volume of the other protuberances in the firstpair of protuberances and the second pair of protuberances.
 16. Thesolid ink stick of claim 13 wherein each protuberance of the first pairof protuberances and the second pair of protuberances has a curvedsurface.
 17. The solid ink stick of claim 13 wherein a firstprotuberance of the first pair of protuberances and a first protuberanceof the second pair of protuberances are separated from the otherprotuberances in the first pair of protuberances and the second pair ofprotuberances by an equal distance.
 18. The solid ink stick of claim 13further comprising: a fifth protuberance extending outwardly from thethird surface, the fifth protuberance being positioned at a distancefrom the second end surface that is different than each distance atwhich each protuberance in at least the first pair of protuberances ispositioned from the second end surface and a volume of the fifthprotuberance is greater than any protuberance in either the first pairof protuberances or the second pair of protuberances, and the volume ofthe fifth protuberance is at least thirty percent greater than anyprotuberance in either the first pair of protuberances or the secondpair of protuberances.
 19. The solid ink stick of claim 18 wherein thefifth protuberance extends across a width of the third surface that isorthogonal to a line extending from the first end surface to the secondend surface and also extends parallel to the axis extending from thefirst end surface to the second end surface that passes through thecenter of the solid ink body.
 20. The solid ink stick of claim 18further comprising: a sixth protuberance extending outwardly from thethird surface and a sum of the volume of the fifth protuberance and avolume of the sixth protuberance is greater than any protuberance ineither the first pair of protuberances or the second pair ofprotuberances.